Leo Terrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leo Terrell
|
|
|---|---|
Terrell in 2025
|
|
| Born |
Leo James Terrell
1 February 1955 |
| Education | California State University, Dominguez Hills (BA) Pepperdine University (MA) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
| Occupation |
|
| Political party | Democratic (before 2020) Republican (2020–present) |
Leo James Terrell was born on February 1, 1955. He is an American civil rights attorney and a host for talk radio shows. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
Terrell has often appeared on TV shows like Hannity and The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News. He used to be a member of the Democratic Party. In July 2020, he announced he supported President Donald Trump. This was the first time he supported a candidate from the Republican Party for president. In January 2025, President Donald Trump said he planned to appoint Terrell to an important role. This role is Senior Counsel for the Civil Rights Division in the United States Department of Justice.
Learning and Schooling
Terrell finished Gardena High School in Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles, in 1972. He was the student body president there. In 1977, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
He also taught history, geography, and economics to high school students. He taught at Gage Middle School in Huntington Park, California. Terrell has a master's degree in education from Pepperdine University. He also earned a law degree from the UCLA School of Law.
Radio Show Career
On June 3, 1996, Terrell started co-hosting a weekday talk show called Terrell & Katz. He hosted it with former judge Burton Katz on KMPC radio in Los Angeles. Their show was a "point-counterpoint" program. Terrell shared liberal views, and Katz shared conservative views.
Later, Terrell and Katz moved to weekends on KABC starting October 5, 1996. Terrell continued to host a legal show on KABC on weekends until August 15, 2010. He also often filled in as a guest host for KABC's The Peter Tilden Show. In July 2021, Leo returned to KABC with a new daily show called Leo 2.0 Live @ 5. As of June 3, 2023, Leo Terrell is no longer working at KABC AM 790 radio station.
Working as a Lawyer
On December 4, 1990, Leo Terrell became a member of the State Bar of California. This meant he could practice law in California.
He was the Chairman of the Black-Korean Alliance. He also served on an advisory board for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He was also part of the Statewide Commission Against Hate Crimes. In 1998, Terrell wrote a book titled Your Rights at the Workplace--The Things Your Boss Won't Tell You.
Terrell joined the NAACP in 1990. He did free legal work for the organization. He later left the NAACP. This happened after he supported a judge named Carolyn Kuhl. The NAACP disagreed with his support. Terrell said the organization tried to "bully" him. The NAACP said he was a volunteer, not their lawyer, and that he was not speaking for them.
Terrell has shared his legal and political opinions on many TV and radio programs. These include Nightline, Larry King Live, Hannity & Colmes, The O'Reilly Factor, Today, and Good Morning America. He also gave expert legal comments about a famous civil trial involving O. J. Simpson, who was a family friend.
In 2003, Terrell ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He finished fifth out of seven candidates.
On January 21, 2025, Terrell was nominated for a Senior Counsel position in the Civil Rights Division. He stated he planned to take legal action against unfair treatment of Jewish people at universities. In May 2025, Terrell gained media attention. He suggested that former First Lady Jill Biden should face legal action. He believed she knew about President Joe Biden’s health issues but did not speak about them during his re-election campaign.
Important Cases and Actions
In 1995, Terrell represented Kumasi Simmons. Simmons was a former football player who was expelled from school. Simmons said a referee used offensive words. Terrell claimed the police tried to scare witnesses who could support Simmons's story.
In 1999, Terrell asked the Los Angeles police commission to listen to witnesses. These witnesses said a homeless woman was running when police officers shot her.
In 2012, Terrell asked for an investigation into bad behavior by trainees. These trainees were from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
In 2025, Terrell announced he would investigate Columbia University. This was part of a larger investigation by the Department of Justice. The investigation looked into unfair treatment of Jewish people on college campuses.
